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ARCTIC VOL. 48, NO.4 (DECEMBER 1995) P. 313–323 Wolf-Sightings on the Canadian Arctic Islands FRANK L. MILLER1 and FRANCES D. REINTJES1 (Received 6 April 1994; accepted in revised form 13 March 1995) ABSTRACT. A wolf-sighting questionnaire was sent to 201 arctic field researchers from many disciplines to solicit information on observations of wolves (Canis lupus spp.) made by field parties on Canadian Arctic Islands. Useable responses were obtained for 24 of the 25 years between 1967 and 1991. Respondents reported 373 observations, involving 1203 wolf-sightings. Of these, 688 wolves in 234 observations were judged to be different individuals; the remaining 515 wolf-sightings in 139 observations were believed to be repeated observations of 167 of those 688 wolves. The reported wolf-sightings were obtained from 1953 field-weeks spent on 18 of 36 Arctic Islands reported on: no wolves were seen on the other 18 islands during an additional 186 field-weeks. Airborne observers made 24% of all wolf-sightings, 266 wolves in 48 packs and 28 single wolves. Respondents reported seeing 572 different wolves in 118 separate packs and 116 single wolves. Pack sizes averaged 4.8 ± 0.28 SE and ranged from 2 to 15 wolves. Sixty-three wolf pups were seen in 16 packs, with a mean of 3.9 ± 2.24 SD and a range of 1–10 pups per pack. Most (81%) of the different wolves were seen on the Queen Elizabeth Islands. Respondents annually averaged 10.9 observations of wolves ·100 field-weeks-1 and saw on average 32.2 wolves·100 field-weeks-1· yr -1 between 1967 and 1991. Average rates of wolf observations·100 field-weeks-1 (28.5, 13.6 vs. 5.7; p < 0.005) and mean numbers of different wolves seen·100 field-weeks-1 (92.3, 37.5 vs. 15.4; p < 0.005) were markedly greater during 1967–75 and 1989–91 than in 1976–88. Relative differences in the reported rates of wolf observations on the Queen Elizabeth Islands in 1967– 75, 1976–88, and 1989– 91 follow the relative abundance of the wolf’s major prey, Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), on those islands during those periods. Key words: arctic-island wolves, Canis lupus spp., Canadian Arctic Islands, wolf-sighting questionnaire, reported wolf observations RÉSUMÉ. Un questionnaire portant sur l’observation de loups a été envoyé à 201 chercheurs de divers domaines travaillant dans l’Arctique, dans le but de solliciter de l’information sur la présence de loups (Canis lupus sp. plur.) notée par des groupes sur le terrain dans l’archipel Arctique canadien. Des réponses utilisables ont été obtenues pour 24 des 25 années allant de 1967 à 1991. Les répondants ont rapporté 373 cas d’observations au cours desquels ils ont vu 1203 loups. De ces derniers, 688 loups ont été jugés être des individus distincts, comptés lors de 234 cas d’observations; parmi les autres 515 loups aperçus au cours des 139 autres cas d’observations se retrouvaient sans doute 167 des 688 loups mentionnés ci-dessus. Les observations de loups rapportées ont été faites durant 1953 semaines de travail sur le terrain passées sur 18 des 36 îles de l’archipel Arctique sur lesquelles portait la recherche; aucun loup n’a été vu sur les autres 18 îles au cours de 186 semaines de travail supplémentaires sur le terrain. Vingt- quatre p. cent des cas d’observations de loups ont été faits par des observateurs aéroportés, qui ont noté 226 loups en 48 bandes et 28 loups solitaires. Les répondants ont dit avoir vu 572 loups différents répartis en 118 bandes distinctes et 116 loups solitaires. La taille des bandes était en moyenne de 4,8 ± 0,28 ES et allait de 2 à 15 loups. Soixante-trois louveteaux ont été aperçus dans 16 bandes ayant de 1 à 10 louveteaux par bande et une moyenne de 3,9 ± 2,24 EMQ louveteaux par bande. La plupart (81 p. cent) des loups différents ont été aperçus sur les îles de la Reine-Élisabeth. Les répondants ont vu des loups en moyenne 10,9 fois par an·100 semaines sur le terrain-1 et ont compté en moyenne 32,2 loups·100 semaines sur le terrain-1·an-1 entre 1967 et 1991. La fréquence moyenne d’observations de loups·100 semaines sur le terrain-1 (28,5, 13,6 c. 5,7; p < 0,005) et le nombre moyen de loups différents aperçus·100 semaines sur le terrain-1 (92,3, 37,5 c. 15,4; p < 0,005) étaient nettement plus élevés au cours des années 1967 à 1975 et 1989 à 1991 qu’au cours des années 1976 à 1988. Les différences relatives entre les fréquences d’observations de loups rapportées sur les îles de la Reine-Élisabeth en 1967-1975, 1976-1988 et 1989-1991 s’accordent avec l’abondance relative des proies principales du loup, le caribou de Peary (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) et le boeuf musqué (Ovibos moschatus), sur ces îles au cours de ces périodes. Mots clés: loups de l’archipel Arctique, Canis lupus sp. plur., archipel Arctique canadien, questionnaire portant sur les cas d’observations de loups, observations de loups rapportées Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nésida Loyer. 1 Canadian Wildlife Service, Northern Conservation Division, Environmental Conservation Branch, Prairie & Northern Region, Environment Canada, Room 200, 4999 – 98 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6B 2X3, Canada © The Arctic Institute of North America 314 • F.L. MILLER and F.D. REINTJES INTRODUCTION archipelago (Babb and Bliss, 1974; Edlund and Alt, 1989; Bliss, 1990; Edlund, 1990). For the purpose of reporting our Wolves (Canis lupus spp.) on the Canadian Arctic Archi- findings, we have divided the CAA into three regions and ten pelago (CAA) are highly visible on the open tundra to ground major areas generally reflective of climate and patterns of observers and to relatively low-level airborne observers, vegetation cover (cf. Miller, 1993) (Figs. 1 to 3). The “Queen when the wolves are moving. Visibility is greatest when the Elizabeth Islands region” (QEI) is divided into five major wolves are on a snow-free background, which generally areas: (1) eastern islands, (2) southwestern islands, (3) south- corresponds to the period of maximal human activity on the central islands, (4) north-central islands, and (5) northwest- CAA, late June to August. Adult wolves on the Arctic Islands ern islands. The “Southern Tier of Arctic Islands region” (STI) usually are white or generally white or whitish in appearance. includes three major areas: (1) western islands, (2) eastern is- They are curious and most are relatively bold compared to lands, and (3) south-central islands. The “Baffin Island region” other subspecies of C. lupus, and often behave like shy dogs (BIR) is divided into (1) northern and (2) southern areas. in the presence of humans (e.g., Grace, 1976; Miller, 1978; Munthe and Hutchinson, 1978). Arctic-island wolves tend to investigate everything that is new to them, including field MATERIALS AND METHODS camps or field party members that they encounter in their environment. Thus, if wolves are present in the area of a field Three subspecies of the North American gray wolf have camp, they are likely to be seen. been identified on the CAA: (1) C. l. arctos, Pocock (1935), Essentially all of the ca. 11 500 year-round residents on the originally referred to as the “American tundra wolf” by CAA (Northwest Territories Data Book 1990/91, 1990) live Pocock (1935) but subsequently called the Canadian polar in widely scattered, small, coastal Inuit settlements. Even wolf by Anderson (1946); (2) C. l. manningi, Anderson though Inuit hunters and trappers on occasion travel over (1943), the Baffin Island tundra wolf; and (3) C. l. bernardi, large areas of the Arctic Islands (e.g., Riewe, 1992), vast Anderson (1943), the Banks Island tundra wolf. C. l. arctos tracts of land remain isolated and remote, except for infre- occurs throughout the QEI (those islands north of the Parry quent visits or overflights by scientific or exploration field Channel or north of 74˚N latitude, excluding the BIR) and parties. Therefore, most arctic-island wolves apparently lack most likely throughout the southern tier of islands (those experience with humans, especially those wolves on the islands south of the Parry Channel or south of ca. 74˚N Queen Elizabeth Islands. latitude), except Baffin and its satellite islands (Miller, 1993). There is little information on the biology, ecology, popu- Pelage descriptions of the three arctic-island subspecies have lation dynamics or current status of wolves on the CAA. A been made by Pocock (1935), Anderson (1943), Manning recent evaluation has been made, however, of the probable (1943), Manning and Macpherson (1958, 1961) and Clark status of wolves on the Arctic Islands by examining the (1971). There is likely intergradation of C. l. arctos with “theoretical maximum carrying capacities” for wolves in mainland subspecies such as C. l. hudsonicus and C. l. various areas of the archipelago in relation to their available mackenzii on the STI and, at least sporadically, between C. l. ungulate prey base (Miller, 1993). The ungulate prey base is arctos on Ellesmere Island and C. l. orion from Greenland or composed solely of caribou (Rangifer tarandus spp.) and on Greenland (e.g., Manning and Macpherson, 1961; Dawes muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus). Wolves are large, attractive et al., 1986). C. l. manningi is known only from Baffin Island; carnivores that are of interest to people and usually of strong but most recently, R.M. Nowak, (Staff Specialist, Office of interest to arctic field researchers, regardless of their disci- Endangered Species, U.S.
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